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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22924930">Take Care of You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaintDionysus/pseuds/SaintDionysus'>SaintDionysus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Courtesans, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Major character death - Freeform, Minor Character Death, Polyjuice Potion, Prostitution, consensual role play</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:21:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22924930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaintDionysus/pseuds/SaintDionysus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Her body twisted and thrashed beneath him, nails digging into his arms.<br/>“Not yet! Not yet! It’s wearing off too soon!” He exclaimed. But when he looked down, it was no longer his beautiful wife he was making love to, but the girl he paid to take her place.</i><br/>Draco Malfoy was a heartbroken man clinging to the memory of his wife, unable to move forward, unable to change the past.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Transfiguration: 2020 Round One</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Take Care of You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            Anonymous in the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBQ2020Round1">DBQ2020Round1</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me but are the property of J.K.R. and Warner Bros. No copyright infringement is intended.<br/>The theme for this round of the competition was Transfiguration and my chosen pairing was Draco/Astoria.<br/>Comments/Reviews are encouraged by The Slytherin Cabal's Admin Team on all stories in Death By Quill, but comments left by readers are set to be moderated by story authors until the end of the competition in order to protect participants' anonymity.<br/>Thank you to my beta for their time and help.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Draco,” she said in a breathy moan, Her back pressed against the rumpled sheets. “Please…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled Her hips closer to him, rocking into her, slow and deep. “Look at me. Open your eyes. Not much longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t…” She whimpered. “Please let </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> take care of you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’re beautiful,” he reassured with the tenderest of care. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body twisted and thrashed beneath him, nails digging into his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet! Not yet! It’s wearing off too soon!” He exclaimed. But when he looked down, it was no longer his beautiful wife he was making love to, but the girl he paid to take her place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman sat up and kissed his collar bones. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frustrated and disappointed, with a throaty growl, Draco commanded, “On your knees.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It had been two years since his wife died. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Astoria</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The light that made the stars of his constellation burn brighter. But like everything good in his life, she was cruelly taken away by a degenerative curse. She had left him with a beautiful son and her memory. But more than that—her image. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had died in his arms, her lifeless body cooling as he cried into her hair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Her hair.</span>
  </em>
  <span> In a moment of heartbreak and desperation, he took out his wand and spelled locks of her hair into a tidy plait. With another quick flick of his wand, he snipped it off. He treasured that bit of hair, knowing it would be the key to keeping her memory alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For an entire year, Draco debated whether or not he would do anything with Astoria’s hair other than stroke it longingly. As the weeks came closer to the anniversary of her death, He made his decision. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl the agency sent was young, petite, and dark-skinned—beautiful and sexy, but nothing like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She saw his disappointment and made up for it with flattery and eagerness to please. She would do anything he asked, not just because she was a consummate professional, but because it was her job to fulfill fantasies. Drinking the thick potion must have seemed minor compared to requests others made of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco watched in wonder as the Polyjuice remolded the stranger into his lost love. But something was wrong. It was Astoria, but the dying Astoria, clinging onto the last threads of life. The beautiful woman he had hired to bring both pleasure and solace was reduced to the shell his wife had once been. He resigned to take </span>
  <em>
    <span>Astoria</span>
  </em>
  <span> into his bed and hold her, as he had in her final days, until the Polyjuice had worn off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unsatisfied with the initial outcome, Draco was determined to try again. He wouldn’t wait another year for some ceremonious reunion. His heart ached too much from being forced to relive her final days. This time, he’d only use the tips of Astoria’s hair. Hair that had grown when she was younger and healthier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco reached back to the agency and only asked to only be sent women of average height who were over the age of 25, olive-skinned, with long black hair. Draco hadn’t even thought about putting requests for the girl’s appearance before, knowing that she would be transfigured. Watching his wife morph into someone completely different, was more than just jarring, it was a reminder of how skewed his grasp on morality and reality had become. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His experiment had been successful. The Astoria of his past appeared to him, still weak, but not at Death’s door. He ran his finger down her cheek, refamiliarizing himself with the woman he loved. Gently he tilted Her chin back up to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me get a good look at you.” His heart felt full again, stitching the fragments back together. “Hello again, my darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does this please you, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked tentatively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call me, Draco.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Draco.” She bit her lip demurely, a sweet tentativeness Draco found immediately sexy and familiar. Running her fingers through Her hair, she asked, “What would you like to do next?”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to take care of you,” he said in a husky growl, pulling Her into him. “I want to take care of you over and over and over.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a while, he entertained different women. Each possessing a trait that reminded him of Astoria. One walked like Her. Another laughed like Her. There was even one who moaned the way she did. The one thing they all had in common was they all ended up with their backs facing him or on their knees when the potion wore off. Draco couldn’t face fucking another woman. Without Her face, he felt it was a betrayal of his undying love, and all the promises he had made to Astoria. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He never had the same girl twice, afraid of getting too attached, that was until he met Mara. She reminded him so much of Astoria. From her stature to the way she held her wand. By the grace of magic and coincidence, she was back in his life, even if in the body of someone else. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Hello, Mara.” Draco lazily swirled his whisky as he sat in his wingback chair. He had been waiting for her by the fireplace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draco.” She bent down and kissed him, and a smile crossed his face beneath her lips. Mara was the only girl he had let kiss him, not in Astoria’s form. “Something smells lovely, are we having dinner?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face into her neck, inhaling her scent. After their first encounter, he knew he wanted her again, and started showering her with gifts. One of which was the same perfume he had purchased for Astoria. On Mara, it smelled a little different, but seductive and comforting all at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran her hands down his chest, toying with the buttons. “Do you want me to change now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet,” he replied with a smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands slipped up under her dress to cup her ass, bare with no knickers, just like he liked it. He would be lying if he didn’t enjoy Mara’s body without the potion. Her body was lean and tight, and soft and supple where it mattered. He loved kissing her smooth, flawless skin. She was so responsive to his touch—a trait that was all her own, and didn’t need to live up to an ideal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were times he second-guessed using the potion. The longer they kept up the charade, the quicker Astoria’s hair lost its potency. It took so many strands for the potion to even last half an hour, and the healthy growth had almost run out. Guilt also wracked Draco watching Mara transfigure herself from a healthy woman, with her life ahead of her, into a ghost. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d grow fond of his courtesan. Perhaps his period of mourning had finally come to an end—but letting Her go and moving on. It felt too final. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they ate dinner, Draco kept his hand in her lap, lazily teasing her, his fingers tracing the line of her slit and swirling the pads of his fingers against her clit. He dipped into her, not deep, but enough to feel her wetness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mara’s fork dropped onto her plate in a clatter. Trying to steady herself, she gripped the tablecloth. “Draco...how will we ever finish dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled his fingers out and sucked her juices off each digit, one by one. “We can skip and go straight to dessert.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It happened by accident. Draco didn’t want to love fucking Mara. He only wanted Astoria. But as the potion began to lose its potency, he was left with a thirst that needed to be quenched. Mara could see the need, and claimed him, breaking his rule. She stared deep into his silver irises, riding him as she brought him to new heights. Heights you just can’t reach being cautious. When Mara was herself, she was fierce—screaming “harder” and “faster,” taking his cock deep down her throat, swallowing every drop when he spilled into her. She gave him everything his wife couldn’t. But when Mara was Her, she needed Draco to be slow and tender. This woman was able to give him both his carnal desires and nostalgic glimpses of his lost love, but he feared the potion was starting to manifest more of Astoria’s traits than just her looks. There were times she looked so pained. Even slow thrusting was more than she could handle. As guilt would chip away at his conscience, his tongue would pay penance between her legs, bringing her pleasure until the potion wore off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The months wore on, and Draco and Mara continued their games. Draco avoided the signs, but he could recognize the symptoms. Mara’s energy level wasn’t recovering like it had in the past. While she promised him that she was fine by the time she was back at home, he knew in his bones that she wasn’t telling him the truth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another night, another visit. As Mara stepped through the grate, fully dressed, her somber expression shook him to the core. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draco, we need to talk,” she said, her voice shaky, trying to stifle her tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took her by the hand and walked her to the edge of his bed. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The potion. It’s made me sick.” Her breath stuttered as the words struggled to find the way to her voice. “Long-term exposure to Astoria’s curse was...what I’m trying to say...I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mara, just tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have her curse now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco dropped his head in his hands. “No. No. No.” He stood up and screamed, “NO!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draco,” she tried to comfort, “It’s not your fault. We didn’t know. And I agreed. We both did.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood and pointed to the cabinet where he kept the Polyuice and Astoria’s hair. Angrily he flung its contents across the room into the fire, setting them ablaze with a violent </span>
  <em>
    <span>Incendio. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Huffing with rage, he told her, “I’m not going to let it hurt you anymore.” Draco dropped to his knees and placed his head in her lap. “I’m so, so, sorry. I never meant for this to happen.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be okay.” She stroked his hair, trying to comfort him when she was the one who needed it more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco looked back up to her, the scene all too familiar. “Let me take care of you, the way you took care of me. Anything you want. I’ll even let you live here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. “You’ve paid me handsomely over the past few years. I’ll be fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long did they give you?” he asked, his heart pounding anxiously, not truly wanting to hear the answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A few months or a few years,” she sighed. “Not a lot of progress has been made with these kinds of curses since—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since Astoria died.” The words bitter on his tongue. Truth. She was dead, and he let her and her curse haunt him, and claim another victim. “Mara, I can’t lose you too. I promise you I’ll do my damndest to find you a cure.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She placed a kiss upon his cheek. “I know you will. I’m checking into your wife’s wing at St. Mungo’s tomorrow. Will you visit me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As often as I can,” he promised. He took her in his arms and let her cry. That night Draco realized he did have room in his heart for another woman, but his selfishness had been her death sentence. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Two months later, Mara died in the Astoria Malfoy wing of St. Mungo’s hospital with Draco at her side. The whole world discovered Draco had a secret lover, and the truth about their arrangement. Despite the ridicule and gossip, he sacrificed his secret in hopes it would give the healers more answers. Without any samples of the potion or Astoria’s hair, there was nothing else they could do. They couldn’t slow it down or explain why the curse took Mara’s body so much faster than it had Astoria.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was alone once again. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The years passed, and with it, Draco’s memories became hazy. Astoria was a woman he loved so deeply, but that was all he could remember. The details of her face became blurry, the sound of her laugh, and her smell, all of it escaped him. Mara, the details were even vaguer, her persona masked by the deceptive poison that slowly killed her. In his heart were two women, one, the fullness of love, the other, the ache of regret. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fifty Years Later</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco looked around his room, and there were so many faces. He didn’t recognize any of them. Not much registered with him nowadays, caught in a continuous loop of distraction, unable to decipher past from present. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His chest tightened, and he gasped for air. He felt a hand clamp around his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, you can go now. We’re all here to see you off,” his son, Scorpius, said softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scorpius?” It took him a while to register who the old man holding his hand was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “We’ll be fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about what, Dad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at the foot of the bed, and there she was, more beautiful and vibrant than he’d ever seen Her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you find it?” Draco stammered. “I thought I destroyed it all.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scorpius asked in confusion, “Destroyed what?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Polyjuice.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, you’re not making sense.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Draco,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Astoria shook her head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“This is not what I pictured for you when I left.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tori…I...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, do you see Mum?” Scorpius looked in the same direction as his father and saw nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You were supposed to let me go. Love again.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She laughed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You stupid, beautiful fool.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t let you go—”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“And what did that get you?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Draco hung his head in shame. “Mara.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s time to go, my darling.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Go, Dad,” Scorpius said encouragingly, stifling his tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Astoria’s spectral presence floated toward Draco and took his hand. He felt a tug, and exhaled his last breath. His spirit was free of his mortal vessel. She was radiant and warm. Nothing like other ghosts he encountered. He looked down at his liver-spotted hands, then felt the wrinkles that creased along his face. Panicked, he asked Astoria,</span>
  <em>
    <span> “Will I be like this for all eternity, while you’re young and beautiful?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Draco Malfoy, are you still concerned with vanity?” She placed her lips on his, and a blinding light engulfed them, pulling them through time and space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As their eyes adjusted, and the world around them stopped spinning, he took in his surroundings. “My bedroom? Is this my punishment? To live in regret, alone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look in the mirror,” Astoria said with a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was young again, the way he looked when he said goodbye to her for the last time. Tears streamed down his face, unable to believe what heaven had planned for him. He ran back to Her, scooped her in his arms. “I missed you so much,” he nuzzled his face into her neck, like he had countless times before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco’s heart stopped. That wasn’t Astoria’s voice. He pulled away just to be sure. “Mara.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But—” he stammered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’m still here,” Astoria waved from his bed. “We just wanted to surprise you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tori, it was you who helped me cross over, right?” he asked in confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she smiled impishly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mara kissed his cheek. “Did you like our little trick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still unable to understand the situation, he ran his fingers through his hair. “But how?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know,” Mara replied as she walked toward Astoria and entwined their fingers together. “After I died, Astoria was here to welcome me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Astoria kissed Mara’s shoulder. “We think the curse connected us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco’s brain was spinning with the possibilities of what this all meant. The two of them, there with him. He stared at the two beautiful women who had captured his heart so many years ago. Similar in features and mannerisms, but exuded completely different energies. “So, you’ve been together all this time?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mara nodded, “Waiting for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is real?” he asked cautiously, afraid that all the promises of heaven were too good to be true. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, my love,” Astoria tutted, “You’re a terrible listener.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Except in bed,” Mara chimed in with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco walked over and fell before their feet. “Let me take care of you both. Let me atone for all of my sins.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Astoria lifted his chin and stared lovingly into his eyes. “No, darling. It’s now time for us to take care of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
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